Noble Rot
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Noble RotNoble Rot
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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 12.99%
Reviews:
344
Ratings:
1,585
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 15, 2022
Added:
Feb 20, 2011
Wants:
  123
Gots:
  241
This saison-esque science project gets complexity and fermentable sugars from two unique wine grapes sourced with our friends at Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser, Wash.

The first addition is unfermented juice, known as must, from viognier grapes that have been infected with a benevolent fungus called botrytis. This noble rot reduces the water content in the grapes while magnifying their sweetness and complexity. The second is pinot gris must intensified by a process called dropping fruit, where large clusters of grapes are clipped to amplify the quality of those left behind.

Noble Rot is brewed with pils and wheat malts and fermented with a distinct Belgian yeast strain. It has a spicy white wine body and a dry, tart finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERchitect:
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dogfish Head's introduction of Noble Rot is an exciting and refreshing choice that's ideally suited for hotter summer days. So why is this a dead-middle-of-winter release?

The beer pours as authentic Belgian Saisons should- bright yellow in color and carrying a mild hazed that allows for a diffused glow to emit. A fluffy white head caps the beer and retains well but eventually sucumbs to the acidity yet to come. The lighter color could suggest Berliner Weisse instead.

A spirited and tangy nose brings about the spicy fruity notes that make Saisons so wonderful. Crabapples, white grapes, under-rippened berries, and lemons offer a bright and refreshing scent with 0only a modest background note of light bread and yeast. The focused aromas are very direct and all about the grape.

Certainly lovers of white wines would appreciate this beer as the taste is simplistic and dedicated to chardonay flavor along with raw white grapes and must. Accented by the fermentation notes of tart apples, berries, lemons, and with the balance of white pepper and lactic acidity- the beer borrows Saison-like characteristics to add layers of complexity to the dominant grape flavor. Tartness boarders on sour notes and also make me think of Berliner Weissbiers as much as it does Saison. The supple support of pilsner malt comes across much more like wheat for a slightly elevated bread flavor and feel.

Bone-dry from start to finish, the beer's early and terse creaminess falls just as soon as the carbonation subsides. The dry-fruity, spicy character seems to disolve into the surfaces of the mouth and avoids feeling weighted in finish and aftertaste. Refreshing tartness allows a pleasant powdery tannic texture late and seems to dry the mouth.

Remarkably, the 9% alcohol is nowhere to be found. The alcohol warmth is surplanted by sharp acidity and making this beer much more drinkable than it should be. This is not a typical Saison. The brewers went and Dogfish Headed it up pretty well. Anyone seeking this beer should expect a lot of grape character and Berliner Weisse tartness to dominate.
Feb 20, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.86 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 15, 2022
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.23/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Bottle, from Costco, Sacramento. Golden color, white head. Aroma and flavour of American hops, saison yeast and grape must - an unusual combination, more interesting than really great. Not a bad beer though.
Apr 30, 2021
Photo of imnodoctorbut
Reviewed by imnodoctorbut from Texas

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
"saison-esque" is certainly right.
very musty, no doubt thanks to the copious amounts of wine grapes added.
I absolutely loved the addition of Belgian yeast, which added to the already Paradigm-level of funk.
the brew was also quite spritzy and citric, layers of mellow tart upon the funk.
This was all gathered from my notes; I absolutely loved this phase of Dogfish where they went full blast with experimentation and digging up old and forgotten styles.
Jun 11, 2020
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle into a tulip. Bottled on date has worn away, but this is several years old at least.

Clear yellow body with a small white head leaving a little lacing. Decent carbonation.

A very faint light malty aroma.

Initial bitey on the tongue, this quickly fades away to reveal a slightly dry and somewhat sweet grapiness. The Saison base is merely a suggestion.

Mouth between medium and full. Finish a grapey wash.

Overall, and I freely admit to not being a big fan of grape must in beer, the grape factor dominates, and I got tired of this beer pretty quickly.
Jun 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.51 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Feb 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by petrusek23 from Ohio

Nov 05, 2018
 
Rated: 1.32 by justindavis2001 from Texas

Aug 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.74 by Quafftastic from Virginia

May 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Beerbuddha from Florida

Jan 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by GreenBayBA from Wisconsin

Oct 26, 2017
 
Rated: 3.58 by wjbent from Florida

Sep 25, 2017
 
Rated: 4.03 by rpjterp from Virginia

Sep 24, 2017
Photo of BillRoth
Rated by BillRoth from Maryland

4.02/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Had on tap at DFH Rehoboth Tap House
Aug 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by DMcGirr from Massachusetts

May 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4.43 by Comander_Shepard from Georgia

May 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by PaleAleWalt from New York

May 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.73 by themegamancave from Illinois

May 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.3 by Erikshegda1994 from Pennsylvania

Apr 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.73 by nwhittin from Indiana

Apr 02, 2017
Noble Rot from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 1585 ratings